Copolymerisation ethylene

Chromium Oxide-Based Catalysts. Chromium oxide-based catalysts were originally developed by Phillips Petroleum Company for the manufacture of HDPE resins subsequendy, they have been modified for ethylene—a-olefin copolymerisation reactions (10). These catalysts use a mixed sihca—titania support containing from 2 to 20 wt % of Ti. After the deposition of chromium species onto the support, the catalyst is first oxidised by an oxygen—air mixture and then reduced at increased temperatures with carbon monoxide. The catalyst systems used for ethylene copolymerisation consist of sohd catalysts and co-catalysts, ie, triaLkylboron or trialkyl aluminum compounds. Ethylene—a-olefin copolymers produced with these catalysts have very broad molecular weight distributions, characterised by M.Jin the 12—35 and MER in the 80—200 range. 

Huang, B. and Tian, J., Metallocene Catalysts (Group 4 Elements). Homopolymerisation of Styrene and Styrene/Ethylene Copolymerisation , in The Polymeric Materials Encyclopedia, CRC Press, Inc., Boca Raton, 1996, Vol. 6 pp. 4191-4201. 

As a rule, LLDPE resins do not contain long-chain branches. However, some copolymers produced with metallocene catalysts in solution processes can contain about 0.002 long-chain branches per 100 ethylene units (1). These branches are formed in auto-copolymerisation reactions of ethylene with polymer molecules containing vinyl double bonds on their ends (2). 

Dow catalysts have a high capabihty to copolymetize linear a-olefias with ethylene. As a result, when these catalysts are used in solution-type polymerisation reactions, they also copolymerise ethylene with polymer molecules containing vinyl double bonds at their ends. This autocopolymerisation reaction is able to produce LLDPE molecules with long-chain branches that exhibit some beneficial processing properties (1,2,38,39). Distinct from other catalyst systems, Dow catalysts can also copolymerise ethylene with styrene and hindered olefins (40). 

AH higher a-olefins, in the presence of Ziegler-Natta catalysts, can easily copolymerise both with other a-olefins and with ethylene (51,59). In these reactions, higher a-olefins are all less reactive than ethylene and propylene (41). Their reactivities in the copolymerisation reactions depend on the sise and the branching degree of their alkyl groups (51) (see Olefin polya rs, linear low density polyethylene). 

Organic peroxides are used in the polymer industry as thermal sources of free radicals. They are used primarily to initiate the polymerisation and copolymerisation of vinyl and diene monomers, eg, ethylene, vinyl chloride, styrene, acryUc acid and esters, methacrylic acid and esters, vinyl acetate, acrylonitrile, and butadiene (see Initiators). They ate also used to cute or cross-link resins, eg, unsaturated polyester—styrene blends, thermoplastics such as polyethylene, elastomers such as ethylene—propylene copolymers and terpolymers and ethylene—vinyl acetate copolymer, and mbbets such as siUcone mbbet and styrene-butadiene mbbet. 

Another important use of BCl is as a Ftiedel-Crafts catalyst ia various polymerisation, alkylation, and acylation reactions, and ia other organic syntheses (see Friedel-Crafts reaction). Examples include conversion of cyclophosphasenes to polymers (81,82) polymerisation of olefins such as ethylene (75,83—88) graft polymerisation of vinyl chloride and isobutylene (89) stereospecific polymerisation of propylene (90) copolymerisation of isobutylene and styrene (91,92), and other unsaturated aromatics with maleic anhydride (93) polymerisation of norhornene (94), butadiene (95) preparation of electrically conducting epoxy resins (96), and polymers containing B and N (97) and selective demethylation of methoxy groups ortho to OH groups (98). 

By copolymerising with a small amount of second monomer which acts as an obstruction to the unzipping reaction, in the event of this being allowed to start. On the industrial scale methyl methacrylate is sometimes copolymerised with a small amount of ethyl acrylate, and formaldehyde copolymerised with ethylene oxide or 1,3-dioxolane for this very reason. 

By block copolymerisation so that one component of the block copolymer has a Tg well below the expected service temperature range (e.g polypropylene with small blocks of polyethylene or preferably polypropylene with small amorphous blocks of ethylene-propylene copolymer). 

The more recently developed so-called linear low-density polyethylenes are virtually free of long chain branches but do contain short side chains as a result of copolymerising ethylene with a smaller amount of a higher alkene such as oct-1-ene. Such branching interferes with the ability of the polymer to crystallise as with the older low-density polymers and like them have low densities. The word linear in this case is used to imply the absence of long chain branches. 

One unfortunate characteristic property of polypropylene is the dominating transition point which occurs at about 0°C with the result that the polymer becomes brittle as this temperature is approached. Even at room temperature the impact strength of some grades leaves something to be desired. Products of improved strength and lower brittle points may be obtained by block copolymerisation of propylene with small amounts (4-15%) of ethylene. Such materials are widely used (known variously as polyallomers or just as propylene copolymers) and are often preferred to the homopolymer in injection moulding and bottle blowing applications. 

Many monomers have been copolymerised with ethylene using a variety of polymerisation systems, in some cases leading to commercial products. Copolymerisation of ethylene with other olefins leads to hydrocarbon polymers with reduced regularity and hence lower density, inferior mechanical properties, lower softening point and lower brittle point. 

Ethylene has also been copolymerised with a number of non-olefinic monomers and of the copolymers produced those with vinyl acetate have so far proved the most significant commercially . The presence of vinyl acetate residues in the chain reduces the polymer regularity and hence by the vinyl acetate content the amount of crystallinity may be controlled. Copolymers based on 45% vinyl acetate are rubbery and may be vulcanised with peroxides. They are commercially available (Levapren). Copolymers with about 30% vinyl acetate residues (Elvax-Du Pont) are flexible resins soluble in toluene and benezene at room temperature and with a tensile strength of about lOOOlbf/in (6.9 MPa) and a density of about 0.95 g/cm. Their main uses are as wax additives and as adhesive ingredients. 

In September 1964 the Du Pont company announced materials that had characteristics of both thermoplastics and thermosetting materials. These materials, known as ionomers, are prepared by copolymerising ethylene with a small amount (1-10 % in the basic patent) of an unsaturated carboxylic acid such as acrylic acid using the high-pressure process. Such copolymers are then treated... 

As already mentioned in previous sections ethylene may also be copolymerised with several non-hydrocarbon polymers. Some of these copolymers are elastomeric and they also have a measure of oil resistance. Two monomers used commercially are vinyl acetate and, the structurally very similar, methyl acrylate ... 

If ethylene is copolymerised with vinyl acetate, and the vinyl acetate component hydrolysed to vinyl alcohol, a material is produced which is in effect a copolymer of ethylene and vinyl alcohol. 

Whilst vinyl acetate is reluctant to copolymerise it is in fact usually used today in copolymers. Two of particular interest to the plastics industry are ethylene-vinyl acetate (Chapter 11) and vinyl chloride-vinyl acetate copolymers (Chapter 12). In surface coatings internal plasticisation to bring the Tg to below ambient temperatures and thus facilitate film forming is achieved by the use of ethyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate and dialkyl maleates and fumarates. 

Incorporation of flexible aliphatic links, for example by copolymerising with ethylene glycol. 

Ethylene-acrylic acid ester copolymerisate, EEA, shows high heat resistance and high elasticity at low temperatures. 

A variety of ionomers have been described in the research literature, including copolymers of a) styrene with acrylic acid, b) ethyl acrylate with methacrylic acid, and (c) ethylene with methacrylic acid. A relatively recent development has been that of fluorinated sulfonate ionomers known as Nafions, a trade name of the Du Pont company. These ionomers have the general structure illustrated (10.1) and are used commercially as membranes. These ionomers are made by copolymerisation of the hydrocarbon or fluorocarbon monomers with minor amounts of the appropriate acid or ester. Copolymerisation is followed by either neutralisation or hydrolysis with a base, a process that may be carried out either in solution or in the melt. 

Several reports in which NHC-Pd complexes have been employed to catalyse the copolymerisation of alkenes with CO have appeared over the years. Herrmann and co-workers reported that the chelating dicarbene complex 38 (Fig. 4.14) is active for CO/ethylene [43], The highest TON [(mol ethylene + mol CO) mol Pd ] was 3 075 after a 4 h run. The modest TONs coupled with a very high molecular weight copolymer led the authors to conclude that only a small fraction of the pre-catalyst goes on to form an active species. Low molecular weight (M = 3 790) CO/norbomene copolymer resulted when complex 39 (Fig. 4.14) was tested by Chen and Lin [44]. The catalyst displayed only a very low activity, yielding 330 turnovers after 3 days. 

M-NHC catalysts in this area. Metal catalysed carbonylation also provides an alternative synthetic ronte to the prodnction of materials that traditionally reqnire highly toxic precnrsors, like phosgene. This section discnsses carbonylation of aryl hahdes, oxidative carbonylation of phenolic and amino componnds, carbonylation of aryl diazoninm ions, alcohol carbonylation, carbonylative amidation, and copolymerisation of ethylene and CO. 

Herrmann and co-workers examined the copolymerisation of CO and ethylene with 40a/b (Fig. 9.7) [50]. The optimal conditions for copolymerisation were 5 2... 

A stereo specific polymer produced by the copolymerisation of ethylene and propylene with Ziegler-type catalysts. 

The copolymerisation of ethylene with vinyl acetate (VA) is another method by which the crystallinity of polyethylene can be reduced and a rubbery polymer obtained. The final properties of the copolymer depend on the VA content at a VA level of 50% the copolymer is entirely amorphous, and elastomeric grades generally contain 40-60% VA by weight. The oil resistance of the copolymer is also dependent on the VA content in general, however, this lies between that of SBR and polychloroprene. It is swollen by most organic solvents and not resistant to animal and vegetable oils, but has some resistance to weak acids and alkalis at ambient temperature. 

Ethylene can be copolymerised with several monomers like propylene, 1-butene, vinyl acetate, ethyl acrylate, etc. 

Another way to recover the catalyst from the dormant site is the copolymerisation of ethene, but this is slower and less attractive than the use of hydrogen. Furthermore the use of ethylene inevitably results in the formation of propylene-ethylene copolymers with all the consequent effects on polymer properties. 

Insite technology from Dow Chemical has enabled the production of ethyl ethylene-styrene interpolymers (ESI) by copolymerisation of ethylene and styrene monomers. The properties of interpolymers vary significantly with copolymer styrene content. Interpolymers with up to about 45 wt.% copolymer styrene are semi-crystalline and exhibit good low temperature toughness. Interpolymers with greater than about 45 wt.% copolymer styrene are... 

Dow Chemical has launched a range of foams which are said to exceed industry standards for softness and toughness. This article supplies brief details of the foams which are based on Dow s Insite catalyst technology. Synergy Soft Touch Foams are produced using Dow s Index Interpolymers, a new thermoplastic polymer family based on the copolymerisation of ethylene and styrene. The foams are offered in three grades of softness, and other properties include shock absorption, vibration damping and insulation. 

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